Ask the Expert: Is A “Free Credit Report” Really Free?

Free Debt Analysis

Contact us at 1-888-503-5563

Free Debt Analysis

Contact us at 1-888-503-5563

Last step, fill out the information below or call us for Priority Assistance.

What may we help you with?

How much do you owe?

What is the status of your payments?

What type of student loans do you have?

What is the status of your loans?

What type of tax debt do you have?

How many years have you owed taxes?

Are you currently enrolled in a payment program with the IRS?

What problems are you having with your report?

Late Payments

Bankruptcy

Charge offs

Debts that are not yours

Collections

Errors on your credit report

Other

Are you facing any of the following?

Garnishments

Lawsuit

Divorce

Repossessions

Illness/Disability

Job Loss

Foreclosure

What types of debts do you have in collections?

Credit Card

Tax

Mortgage

Student Loan

Medical

Payday Loan

Repossessions

Judgement

Debt Collection Company Name

Tell us what happened:

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A reader wonders: "There has to be a catch, right?" Nope, no catch — if you do it right.

Question:You mention all the time about getting your “free” credit report, but when I Google it, I get lots of results that seem sketchy to me — like freecreditreport.com, which wants to charge me $1 and then enroll me in a “7-day trial membership” for something or other.

Then there’s annualcreditreport.com, which says it’s “the only source for your free credit reports.” But then Credit Karma wants me to get it through them. Help! What do I do?

— Emily in West Virginia

Howard Dvorkin CPA answers…

Here’s a very short answer, followed by a longer explanation of how it got so confusing…

Yes, you can go other places, and some will give you the same information for free. Others will try to sell you other services you probably don’t want and certainly don’t need. However, only the website above is authorized by federal law, and it’s the only one that all three credit bureaus — TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian — cooperate on to give you the crucial data you need.

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That last point is important. While many people are aware they can get a free credit report, many more aren’t aware they’re entitled to a free report from each of these bureaus. Many experts, including me, recommend you stagger your free requests, getting one report from each bureau every four months. That way, you’re more likely to catch mistakes before they cause serious damage.

If you want to know more, Emily, here’s some brief but required reading…

Of course, a credit score is just a number. What really matters is what you can do with it. A good score and a clean report can mean big savings when you look for a car loan or a mortgage. Learn about credit monitoring, and if you have questions, call one of our certified counselors at 1-800-810-0989.